The semi-weekly fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-10-25
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Synopsis of Land missioner
Sparks Annual Report.

Land Commissioner Sparks in his annual
report, Just issued, shows that since March 4,
1885, 81, S24. 4S1 acres have been restored to
the public domain. The sales. entries, and
Selections of public land under the various
acts of Congress relating thereto, for the fis-
cal year ended June so, 1887, embrace 25 Ill.,
400 acres, and of Indian lands 40, 637 acres,
making total of %. SIS OBS acres, being an
increase over the year 1886 of 8, 733, 474 acres,
and an increase of 4, So, 524 acres as compared
with 1885.
The receipts from the disposals of public
lands are so, 7S3, 921, from sales of Indian
lands, 81 ,4S4 302-a total of S12, PCS PA being
an increase compared with the year 1886
of So 247, 727, and an increase of 50, 64S 625 as
compared with the fiscal year 1885; to which
is to be added $, 291 received on account OF
timber depredatiOns, and S12, 1913 received for
certified copies of records furnished by the
General Land Office, making the total receipts
for the year from all sources $l2, 22S9, O0S.
With respect to the surveys of public lands,
he SAYS that charges OF fraud are made in all
the public land States and Territories, and
that an appropriation to cover the exanllna-
ton of such surveys and for necessary resur-
veys is a matter of the highest public import
ance. A large proportion of the Surveyors
General recommend that rates for survey be
increased, so that competent surveyors may
be able to perform their work without call
ing on settlers for assistance.
On the subject of the forfeiture of railroad
land grants the Commissioner quotes from his
last annual report, and adds:
81 renew the Recommendation that for
fixture be declared in all cases in which the
roads were not completed within the time
and in the manner conditioned in the respec-
tive grants"
Offraudulent land entries the Commissioner
says that the Investigations of the past year
have been entirely satisfactory, and that
$4,000 acres, were held for. cancella-
ton, and 1853 entries, covering about
10000 acres, were cancelled for fraud
This subject the Commissioner pur-
a record of crime as that shown by
investigation made by special agents during
the last two years is rarely to be found
Bold, reckless, and gigantic schemes to rob
the Government of its lands have been dis
covered and exposed in every State and
Territory containing public lands, and think
l can truthfully say in every land district and
county which a special agent has visited.
Systematic efforts to mislead and corrupt
entrymen, in order that they might
become instruments in defraudingthe Govern
ment have been resorted to. Men of intelll-
gence and high standing in the com
munity, in many instances million
aires, were the leaders in these unlawful trans
actions Over five thousand cases have
been discovered wherein perjury or subordin-
alton of perjury was committed. In a ma
jority of cases the officers before whom the
proofs or other papers were executed, largely
State and Territorial officers not directly re-
cognizant of the fraud or could have become
so by ordinary diligence
One thousand and eleven cases of timber
depredatiOns or timber trespaSs have been
reported on during the year, involving
value in timber and product therefrom
amounting to Sc, 146, 935-recoverable to the
United States. The amount actually re-
| covered during the year through judgments,
fines, ETC., is S12S, 642 The wholesale
destruction of public timber on old numbered
sections of public lands, says the Commits
sioner, within the granted limits of uncon-
structed railroads continues to alarming
extent.
On the subject of reform in the public
land laws" the Commissioner says:
''All efforts to secure a reform in the land
laws by a repeal or amendments of particular
acts and provisions have failed through the
opposition of interests at variance with pro-
posed legislation. 1 am satisfied that amend
ments in detail are impracticable. The time
| for tinkering has passed. Existing systems
of disposal, fundamentally defective in the
| original instance, have become wholly I'M
| suited to present conditions. What is needed,
| in my opinion, is an entire reformation of ex-
| listing laws, retaining an absolute home
stead law and obsoleting all other
lands. Actual residence, improvement, and
| cultivation for the homestead period of five
| years should be the exclusive condition of ac-
| curing title to such lands. 1t would also ap
| pear that the time has arrived when the
| privilege of appropriating public lands should
| be confined to citizens of the United States.
| The mineral laws should be so amended as to
| preserve the public right of mineral explor-
alton to citizens of the United States and to
| prevent a monopoly of native mineral wealth
| by individuals and corporations"